1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of decorating molded parts by applying a decorative film to the part.
2. Background Art
Molded parts may be provided as bare undecorated parts or may be decorated by painting. Recently, molded parts such as bumpers, grill surrounds, light bezels, sun visors and other vehicle components have been developed that are decorated with a film product that includes a fluoropolymer clear coat, an indium bright layer, a tie coat and primer and a heat-activated adhesive layer. The indium bright layer may have a chrome-like appearance that is UV resistant, weather resistant and resistant to corrosive materials and stone chips.
One of the problems that faces implementation of film decoration of products includes the cost of the process of applying an adhesive to the film and the cost of the adhesive. The cost of decorative lamination films may add substantial cost to the finished product. In addition, surface imperfections and contaminants, such as dust, may be visible or even magnified by the film when the decorated part is observed or inspected.
The above problems are addressed by applicants' invention as summarized below.